Diffusing apparatus



INVENTOR.

Afys.

A. T. ROOCH DIFFUSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 26, 1948 Feb. 19, 1952 BY ALLEN Z'RoocH Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Rooch executrix of ceased said Allen T. Rooch, de-

Application February 26, 1948, Serial No. 11,180

3 Claims.

been to provide an air purifier combining a bottle support and wick base cup which are readily removable irom the purifier together with a bottle containing a volatilizable deodorizing liquid.

A further object of the present invention has a A further object of the present invention has 7 been to provide a unitary bottle cap and bottle support which can be attached to the wick base cup and which minimizes the effect of surface tension on fluid passing therethrough.

A further object of the present invention has" been to provide a bottle support for a bottle containing volatile liquid which is designed to be attached to a wick base cup and which will support the entire weight of the fluid filled bottle whereby auxiliary bottle holding brackets and arms may be dispensed with.

It was formerly customary to supply volatile fluid to air purifiers from bottles of special design having long narrow necks and equipped with.

special valves such as that shown in my Patent 'No.

2,166,969 granted July 25, 1939. The fragility of 0 the bottle neck and valve assembly made it necessary to provide suitable independent support means engaging the body portion of the bottles.

My afore-mentioned Patent No. 2,246,008 provided an improved bottle closure which eliminates the necessity for auxiliary bottle supports, valves, or bottles of special design. This bottle closure includes a stem which rests on the wick cup "and contains a vertical bore from which a portion of the circumference is removed to give a passageway through which liquid fiows immediately into the wick cup as soon as the liquid level in' the cup falls. This construction has found wide; spread use, but an auxiliary framework, such as 4| in the patent, has been necessary with it in order to permit easy removal of the wick cup with the bottle when the bottle requires refilling.

The volatile fluids diffused by this type of purifier form a gum-like substance in the wick base cup due to the oxidation of the volatile fluid. For proper operation of an air purifier of the diffuser type, the wick base cup should be thoroughly cleaned each time the purifier is serviced. However, the auxiliary framework of the previous purifiers has made cleaning of the wick base cup inconvenient, and regular cleaning thereof has often been overlooked by the service man because of the difiiculty of removing the auxiliary framework. Moreover, the framework of necessity is ofa delicate nature and breaks easily, which adds to the difliculty of servicing.

Briefly, the present invention provides a bottle closure which includes a stem, the lower end of which can be attached to a wick base cup. A bore running part of the length of the stem provides an outlet from the bottle, and a portion of the circumference of the bore is cut away to provide an opening through which the liquid can pass into the wick base cup and to permit immediate flow of liquid as soon as the level of liquid in the cup is lowered. The wick base cup is provided with a bore at its center into which the lower end of the stem fits and to which the stem may be threaded. With this construction the inner surface of the wick base cup may be smooth since there is no need for any auxiliary framework. The only break in the smooth inner surface of the cup is the bore in which the stem fits, and

when the air purifier is assembled the stem fits into the bore so that the wick base cup presents a smooth surface free of difficultly cleaned corners.

The above mentioned and other objects may be attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing in'which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an air purifier constructed in accordance with this invention part of the purifier being broken away for clarity of detail.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of a bottle support.

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing details of the bottle support shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a bottle support of differing construction.

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the bottle support shown in Figure 4.

As shown in Figure 1, the diffuser type air purifier unit includes an elongated annular housing it having a bottom portion II and a removable top or cap member l2. A plurality of spaced apertures l3 are provided in the lower portion of the housing i0 through which a suitable volatile liquid may be diffused by a suitable annular wick M, the lower portion of which fits into a wick base cup l5 which normally contains a quantity of volatile fluid to a depth indicated by a broken line IS. The wick l4 extends upwardly from the cup along the apertured lower part of the housing ID in spaced relation thereto, and air passing 3 through the apertures gradually picks up fluid from the wick I4 to diffuse the fluid. If desired, the wick base cup I5 is supported by an annular skirt I1 and depending legs I8 attached to the skirt IT, as shown, which legs rest on the bottom portion II. At the center of the cup I5 an integral downward projection I9 may be provided to receive a bore 20, which is preferably a fluid tight blind bore terminating at a lower wall 2|. The walls of the cup I5 should be fluid tight, and the projection I9 and the lower portion of the cup I5 should be of sufiicient strength to support the combined weight of a bottle 22 and liquid 23 contained therein.

A bottle support 24 connects the bottle 22 with the wick base cup I5. The support 24, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, includes a lower, externally threaded tip 26, a central stem 21, and an upper bottle closure or cap portion 28. The bore in the wick base cup I5 is internally threaded so that the lower tip 26 of the bottle support 24 fits into and can be removably attached to the wick base cup I5 at the bore 26. The cap portion 28 is internally threaded and, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, complementary threads disposed exteriorly on a mouth portion 29 of the bottle 22 fit into and engage the cap portion 28. A gasket 3| seals the mouth of the bottle to the cap portion 28.

The central stem 21 connects the cap portion 28 and the lower tip 26. A vertical bore 32 through the center of the stem 21 communicates with the bottle 22 through an opening 33 in the center of the gasket 3|. The bore 32 extends downwardly through the support 24 to the tip 26.

As clearly shown in Figure 3, one side of the central stem 21 is cut away as at 34, the cut away portion extending across the vertical center line of the bore 32. In this manner the effective length of the bore 32 is reduced an amount equal to the height of the cut away portion 34. An upper surface 35 of the tip 26 is horizontal and forms the lower extremity of the cut away portion 34. As shown in Figure 1, when the tip 26 is in place in the bore 26 of the wick base cup I-5, the surface 35 is in the same plane as and forms a continuation of an upper surface 31 of the inside of the cup. A shoulder 36 on the side of. the stem 21 away from the cut away portion 34 and in the same plane as the surface 35 acts to limit the distance the bottle support can be screwed into the wick base cup I 5. A lug 38, which forms an integral portion of the support 24, attached to the cap portion 28, sets the limit of the effective length of the bore 32, and the size of the lug 39 determines the height of the liquid level I6. The underside of the lug 38 is perpendicular to the axis of the bore 32 and forms a horizontal surface 39 which intersects the axis. Two vertical columns 48 running between the cap portion 28 and the tip 26 on opposite sides of and spaced from the bore 32 strengthen the central stem 21. The central stem 21 is further strengthened by fillets 4| which join the columns 46, cap portion 28, and central stem 21 and by fillets 42 which join the columns 46, lower tip 26, and central stem 21. I

The cut away portion 34 forms a passageway through which liquid from the bottle 22 flows into the cup I5. Moreover, the cut away portion of the bore 32 prevents the formation of spherical drops at the lug 38 and precludes the formation of a meniscus susceptible to congealing when the fluid level is lowered. Instead, liquid is attracted downwardly along the cut away portion so that 4 liquid immediately is discharged into the cup I5 as soon as the liquid level I6 falls below the lug 38.

The wick I4, as shown in Figure 1, is of annular shape resting in the wick base cup I5 and. extending upwardly about the neck of the bottle 22. The wick is preferably fabricated from inexpensive yet highly absorbent and easily disposable material such as Cellucotton: The wick may be of the type disclosed and claimed in my aforesaid Patent No. 2,246,008 bein formed of multi-ply Cellucotton material.

In Figures 4 and 5 is shown a bottle support 43 of the same general type as that shown in the other figures but of simpler construction. The bottle support 43 includes an upper section 44 and. lower tip 46 which are similar to the cap portion 28 and tip 26 of the support 24. Internal threads 41 in the upper section 44 are adapted. for attachment to the mouth 29 of the bottle 22 while external threads 48 on the tip 46 fit the threaded bore 26 in the wick base cup. A central stem 49 between the upper section 44 and tip 46 is in the form of half a longitudinally split cylinder. A vertical bore 5! through the center of the upper section 44 and along the center of a flat side 52 of the stem 49 forms a bore of halfcircular-cross-section along the side of the stem 49. A horizontal lower surface 53 of the upper section 44 forms an upper surface of the cutaway bore. A lower surface 54 of the tip 46 limits the distance the support 43 can be screwed into the bore 26 and the surface 54 bears against the bottom of the bore 26 to limit the penetration of the tip 46 so that an upper surface 58 of the tip is level with the upper surface 31 of the inside of the cup when the cup and support 43 are in assembled relation.

The operation of the diffuser is clear from the drawings and from the foregoing detailed description, and will be described with reference to the bottle support 24. Operation of the support 43 is similar. Volatile deodorizing liquid from the bottle 22 is discharged through the bore 32 and cut away portion 34 into the wick base cup I5.

I6 of the lug 38, flow is stopped by atmospheric pressure. However, as soon as the liquid level falls below the lug 38 due to evaporation of the liquid, flow through the bore 32 starts again, and the liquid level is maintained at the level I6. The wick I4 picks up and holds liquid, and the passage of air through the apertures I3 slowly diffuses the deodorizing fluid.

When the diffuser requires servicing, the bottle 22 is removed from the housing in together with the wick I4 and the wick base cup I5. No auxiliary framework is required to hold the cup I5, and spilling of the fluid is avoided. Once removed from the housing I6, the bottle 22 can be removed from the cup I5, the wick I4 disposed of, and the cup I5 cleaned to remove any gum which may have formed therein. As shown, the threads at the mouth of the bottle 22 are spaced farther apart than the threads of the bore 26 so that when the bottle is unscrewed from the wick base cup, the threads at the mouth break first and the bottle comes free while the support 24 remains attached to the wick base cup. When the bottle and cup are removed from the housing III, the bottle and cup are turned over to pour excess liquid from the cup. Then the bottle 22 can be unscrewed from the support 24 ready for refilling and the old wick discarded. Cleaning of the cup is much simpler than has been the case withprevious diffusers, for the upper When the liquid reaches the level surface 31 of the cup is smooth and free of connections which have formerly been required for bottle supports and apparatus for removing the cup from the housing. The entire weight of the bottle and liquid therein is carried by the bottle support 24, and the support 24 also serves to connect the bottle 22 and the wick cup l5 so that both can be removed from the housing together.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquid dispenser the combination of an open-topped cup having a smooth, substantially horizontal inner surface, said surface containing a vertical bore, a container support member attached to said bore, and a fluid container attached to said support member and mounted above said cup in inverted position, said support member including a lower section threaded to said bore, an upper portion attached to the container to form a cap for the bottle, and a stem between said upper and lower portions, said upper portion and stem containing a bore communicating with said container, one side of said stem being cut away lengthwise to remove a portion of the stem which substantially bisects the bore of the stem, and vertical strengthening elements atached to said upper and lower portions, said strengthening elements being spaced from said bore, said bore forming a passageway through which liquid flows from said bottle into said cup.

2. In apparatus for diifusing a fluid, the combination of an open-topped cup having a smooth, substantially horizontal inner surface, said surface containing a, vertical bore, means for diffusing fluid contained in said cup, a container support member removably attached to said bore, a fluid container attached to said support memher and mounted above said cup in inverted position, said support member including a lower section threaded to said bore, an upper portion attached to said container, and a stem between said upper and lower portions, said upper por-.

tion and stem containing a bore communicating with said container, one side of said stem being cut away lengthwise to remove a portion of the stem which substantially bisects the bore of the stem, and vertical strengthening elements attached to said upper and lower portions, said strengthening elements being spaced from said bore, said bore forming a passageway through which liquid flows from said bottle into said cup.

3. A liquid dispenser for an air purifying unit comprising a bottle having an open mouth, a bottle support member having a cap portion removably attached to and closing the open mouth of the bottle, said bottle support member having a stem and a head spaced from the cap portion, an open-topped cup, means for removably attaching the head of the support member to the inside of the cup with the bottle; extending above the cup in inverted position, said support memher having an axial bore communicating with the interior of the bottle and said stem having an opening in the side thereof communicating with said bore and through which liquid may flow from the bottle to the cup.

ALLEN T. ROOCH.

REFERENCES cI'rEn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Rooch June 1'7, 1941 

